Means for lubricating and cleaning railroad-tracks, &amp;c.



T. E. HILL & J. J. MILLETT.

MEANS FOR LUBRICATING AND CLEANING RAILROAD TRACKS, M.

1,21 1,845. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30. l9l6. Patented Jan. 9

T. E. HILL & J. J. MILLETT.

MEANS FOR LUBRICATING AND CLEANING RAILROAD TRACKS, 8w.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30, I9I6.

1,21 1,845. Patented Jan. 9,1917.

T. E. HILL & J. J. MILLETT. MEANs FOR LUBRICATING AND CLEANING RAILROAD TRACKS, m.

AFPUCATION HLED OCT. 30. 1915. 1,21 1,845. Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

I J. (5 2% W W @WQWW the exhaust upon the tracks. Fig.

TATE PATENT @FFlE.

THOMAS E. HILL AND JAMES J". BEELLETT, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

MEANS FOR LUBRICATING AND CLEANING RAILROAD-TRACKS, &o.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. e, 1917.

Application filed October 30, 1916. Serial No. 128,579.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Trroams E. HILL and JAMES J. Mincnrr, citizens of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Lubricating and Clean ing Railroad-Tracks, &c., of which the following is a specification.

One of the most important objects of the present invention is to provide means whereby a more eiiicient and economical utilization of the power of a locomotive is achieved through the employment of an otherwise waste product (namely, exhaust steam) for lubricating the rails in the rear of the driving wheels of the locomotive and to clean the rails of the sand occasionally supplied to give the driving wheels suiiicient traction, whereby the resistance to the passage of the cars constituting the remainder of the train is markedly reduced and to utilize the force of the exhaust steam to clean sand, gravel and small rocks out of the frogs and like portions of the railroad track and it provides means of a simple, compact and economical nature readily controllable from the cab of the locomotive for directing the exhaust steam from an exhaust line either through its usual channels or through discharge means arranged to discharge the exhaust steam upon the tracks for the accomplishment of the several purposes aforesaid.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which now follows:

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive having the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the rear end of the locomotive and illustrating the location of our improved attachment thereon. Fig. 3 is' a diagrammatic plan view illustrating the relation of the several elements of the invention. Fig. 4 isa vertical, sectional view of the controlling valve of the exhaust line with the parts in position to permit the exhaust to follow its usual path. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the base of said valve with the parts in the position corresponding to Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a vertical, sectional view of the valve illustrated in Fi 4: but with the parts inposition to direct 7isa plan view of the base of the valve with the parts in the position indicated in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the base portion of a fluid pressure controlling valve casing located in the engineers cab and with the valve removed to illustrate the position of the ports. Fig. 9 is a view like Fig. 8 but with the valve in place and in one of its positions. Fig. 10 is a view like Fig. 9 but with the valve in its other position. Fig. 11 is, an under-side view ofthe valve, and Fig. 12 is a vertical, sectional view of the valve illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 and the position of which is indicated at the upper right hand side of Fig.2.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

F or purposes of illustration, we have shown ourinvention arranged in conjunction with the exhaust line of the steam end of the air pump usually employed upon locomotives but it is to be understood that we-may with equal facility employ the invention in conjunction with the exhaust line from the steam cylinders of the locomotive.

In the drawings, 5 designates the air come pressing end. and 6 the'steam end of the usual air pump of a locomotive. Disposed within the exhaust line 7 from the steam cylinder 6 of the air pump is a valve 8, the construction of which is clearly illustrated in Figs. lto 7 and which will presently be described.

Disposed within the cab of the locomotive is a manually operable valve indicated in a general way at 9. This valve serves to control the passage of air from the usual air reservoir 10 of the locomotive to a cylinder 11, said cylinder containing a piston 12 and piston rod 13, the latter being connected to a crank arm ll upon the stem 15 of valve 8. Vhen the valve 8 is manipulated in one direction air from the reservoir 10 is admitted to one end of the cylinder 11 to move the piston in one direction'and when the valve 9 is manipulated in the opposite direction steam is admitted to the opposite end of the cylinder 11 to move the contained piston in the opposite direction. it will, therefore, be seen that the invention comprises a fluid pressure controlling valve located in the cab of the locomotive, which valve, in turn, c011- trols pressure to a fluid operated means for actuating the valve in the exhaust line. The I valve in the exhaust line, in turn, permits the exhaust to flow in its usual channel when moved to one position and, when moved to another position, directs the exhaust through pipes, hereinafter described, to cause it to be discharged upon the rails or other portions of the track. In this particular exemphiication of the invention, the steam is base 16.

directed upon the rails to lubricate the same, remove sand therefrom' and to clean the frogs and hence the outlet means for the steam preferably consists-of nozzles 54 hereinafter referred to.

7 The detailed constructionof the valve 9 is illustrated in Figs. 8 to 12. By referring to these figures, itwill be seen that thevalve comprises a base 16 which is supported by a suitable bracket 17 from the boiler 18 of-the locomotive. A pipe 19 leads from the reservoir to a port20 formed within the base 16 and themouth of which, port opens at the stem '28 is provided with a handle 31 by which the'valve disk maybe manipulated. V A recess 32 formed in the dome 29 receives packing material 33 and when the dome 29 is screwed down upon the base 16, this packing material is compressed against a shoulder '34- of the valve disk 2-7 and serves the double purpose of providing a fluid'tight joint about the stem 28'and offorcing the lower flatface of the valve disk 27 into firm con tact with the upperflat face 21 of the base 16. 'Pins 35' and 36 whichproject upwardly from the flat face of the base 16 limit thev movement of the valve disk 27. When the valve disk is moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 9,'the port23 is uncovered so that air under pressure may pass through pipe 19 to the interior of the dome 29 and is then through port 23 and pipe 26 to the right hand endof. the cylinder 11, see Fig. 3.

'Atthe same time, the port 22 is brought into communication with the exhaust port 24 through the medium of a cavity 37 which is formed in the under side of the valve disk 27 and which cavity at this time bridges ports 7 22 and 24. If upon the other hand, the valve disk 27 be manipulated through the mediumof handle31 to brings'aid valve disk' to the thereby exhaust the right hand end ofthe' V, 'icylinder 11 and admit air underpressure to position Lillustratedin Fig; 10,port 22 will:

be uncovered and brought into communica tion with port 20 and, at the same time, the

cavity 37 will bridge ports 23} and 24 to theilefthand end of'the cylinder through i e 25. For maintainin the valve disk 27 P P r 1 a 7 in proper alinement, a projection 27 'formed upon the under side thereof is seated in a recess 16 formed in the base 16.

When, by the {IClDllSSlOliOf air to one end or the other of cylinder 11, crank arm 14 is moved to either the full or dotted line position shown in Fig. 3, a valve disk 38 mounted upon the lower end of the stem 15 is moved either to the position illustrated in Fig. 5 or to the position illustrated in Fig.

7, it being understood that a pin 39 carried by the piston rod 13 engages in a slot 40 formed in the crank arm 14. The valvewhich has been designated generally by the reference character 8 comprises a base 41 having a dome 42 screwed thereon at 43. The base 41 has a flat upper face 44 over which the valve disk 38 moves as hereinafter set forth. Three ports 45, 46 and 47 open to the upper face 44 ofthe base 41. The port extends to a boss 48 where it has connection with a portion a of the exhaust pipe which leads from the steam end of the air port'46 leads toa boss 49 where it has communication with a section 7 b of the exhaust pipe 7 which section extends from thebase 41 of the valve 8 to discharge through the stack of the locomotive in the usual manner. The port 47 leads to a boss 50 where it communicates with a conduit 51 having the branches 52 and 53 which extend down wardly behind the rear dr' ing wheels of the locomotive and terminate adjacent the track to constitute nozzles 54 through which the exhaust steam may be discharged upon the rails or upon the track for the several purposes set forth; namely, lubricating the rails, removing sand from the rails after the drivingwheels of the locomotive have passed thereover and blowing pebbles and small rocks'out of frogs and the like portions of the track.

It is apparent that with the valve disk 38 in theposition illustrated in Fig. 5, the exhaust steam from the section 7 of the exhaust pipe. 7 may pass through port 45 through the interior of the dome 42 and thence through port 46 to the section 7 of the exhaust pipe. At this time the valve disk 38 covers the port 47 and prevents the exhaust steam from finding its way intothe conduit 31. If, however, the disk 38 be moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 7,

port 46 will be covered by said disk and the exhaust steam can not then pass into the section 7 of the exhaust pipe but, upon the contrary, will enter the interior of the dome 42 through port and pass from said dome through port 47 to the conduit 51 and be discharged'through the nozzles 54 carried by the. branch pipes 52 and 53, respectively. The base 41 of the valve 8 and the cylinder 11 are connected by a bracket 55 which serves. asja means to secure the valve 8 and the cylinder 11 in position upon the locomotive. To provide for the removal of any water of condensation which may accumulate in valve 8, we provide a drain cook 56 which controls ports 57, 58 and 59 leading to the ports 45, 4:6 and 47, respectively.

Attention is directed to the fact that the port 47 is equal in area to either of the ports 45 and 46 and that the throw of the valve disk 38 is such that when it is moved to uncover port 47 and to cover port 46, the

available outlet for the exhaust steam is desired. The lubricating eflect is secured by i the condensation of the steam upon striking the rails. Exhaust steam is already cooled to a point where it will readily condense and the most effective lubrication of the rails be secured. It is apparent that highly heated, live steam or compressed air would not efficiently serve the ends desired.

Attention is directed to the fact that the exhaust steam is discharged llbon the rails in the rear of the driving wheels of the locomotive so that the traction of the locomotive wheels is not affected. Attention is also directed to the fact that operation of the valve 8 is efi'ected by the motive power afforded by the air pressure from the usual reservoir of the locomotive and that this pressure is controlled easily and readily through the medium of the valve 9. It is, therefore, unnecessary to provide levers extending from the cab to the valve 8 for the purpose of operating the latter. Long levers of this nature are not only unsightly but they are noisy because they tend to rattle under the vibration of the locomotive.

The power of the blast of exhaust steam from a locomotive is very considerable and we have found in actual practice that this apparatus is useful for clearing dirt, gravel and small rocks from frogs and like parts of the railroad track.

It is to be understood that the construction herein described and illustrated is merely exemplary of one means of putting the invention into practice and that various modifications thereof may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention what we claim is 1. In a locomotive, the combination with an exhaust steam line, of means for directing the exhaust steam from said line upon the rails of the track, said means having an outlet for the exhaust steam adjacent the rails, a connection between the outlet and the exhaust steam line and a valve in the connection. I

2. In a locomotive, the combination with an exhaust steam line, of means disposed to discharge the exhaust steam upon the rails of the track, conduits leading from the ex haust steam line to said means and a valve for controlling the passage of steam from the exhaust steam line to the conduits.

3. In a locomotive, the combination with 'an exhaust steam line, of means disposed to discharge the exhaust steam upon the rails of the track, conduits between the exhaust steam line and said means, a valve for controlling the passage of steam from the ex haust steam line to the conduits and means controllable from the cab of the locomotive foractuating said valve.

l. In a locomotive, the combination with an exhaust steam line, of means disposed to discharge upon the track, conduits leading from the exhaust steam line to said discharge means, a valve for controlling the passage of steam from the exhaust steam line to the conduits and means controllable from the cab of the locomotive for actuating said valve, said means servingto move said valve to one or the other of two positions, said valve in one position establishing communication between the exhaust line and said conduits and shutting off the passage of steam through that portion of the exhaust line which extends beyond said valve and when moved to the other position shuts off communication between said conduits and the exhaust line and establishes normal communication through the exhaust line.

5. The combination with a locomotive, of an exhaust steam line, nozzles disposed to discharge the exhaust steam upon the track, conduits through which exhaust steam is supplied to said nozzles and a three way shut-off valve arranged when turned to one position to establish uninterrupted communication through the exhaust steam line and when turned to another position to interrupt communication through the exhaust steam line and deflect the exhaust steam line into said conduits.

6. The combination with a locomotive, of a source of steam supply, nozzles disposed to discharge upon the track, a valve between the source of steam supply and said nozzles, a fluid pressure operating means for actuating said valve and manually operable fluid pressure controlling means for controlling the fluid pressure operating means.

7. The combination with a locomotive, of

a steam line, nozzles arranged to discharge the passage of steam from the steam line to 'said conduits, an operating means for said valve comprising a piston and a cylinder in which said piston operates and -means for supplying 'air to said piston from the air reservoir of the locomotive.

'8. The comblnation with a locomotlve, of a stream line, nozzles arranged to'dlscharge upon the 7 track, conduits for supplying steam. to said nozzles, a valve for vcontrolone'endof said cylinder and when turned to another position admits air to the other end of said cylinder. i

9. The combination with a locomotive and its air pump, of an exhaust line leading from said pump, nozzles disposed to discharge upon the track, conduits through which exhaust steam is supplied to said nozzles and a shut-off valve disposed in the exhaust steam line and arranged to establish communication through the exhaust steam line or to close communication through the exhaust steam line and establish communica tion between the exhaust steam lineandthe conduits. j

10. The combination with a locomotive and its air pump, of-an exhaust steam line leading from said pump, nozzles disposed to discharge upon the track, conduits through which exhaust steam is supplied to said nozzles and a shut-0d valve disposed in the exhaust steam line and arranged to establish communication through the exhaust steam line or to close communication throughthe exhaust steam line andestablish communication between the exhaust steam line and theconduits, a fluid pressure operating means. for said valve, means for supplying ai-runder pressure to the fluid pressure operating means from the air reservoir of the locomotive and a manually operable controlling valve for said air pressure located in the cab of the locomotive.

11. The combination with a locomotive,

of'nozzles disposed to discharge upon the track, conduits through which steam is supplied to said nozzles, a steam line, a valve disposed in said steam line, which when moved to one position establishes normal communication through the steam line and when moved to 7 another position cuts off communication through said steam line and establishes communication between the steam line and said conduits, said valve compris mg a stem, a slotted crank arm carried by said stem, a piston rod connected to said THOMAS E. HILL. JAMES J. MILLETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' f Washington, D. G. 

